A moment of reflection
by cip
Summary: A brief glimpse of Itachi's softer side in a break between missions. OOC, obviously, but not excessivly so.


**Urgh. Just don't ask where this came from! It's ****currently**** exactly two o'clock in the morning and I've just finished it. ****It's silly, random and both are OOC although Itachi more so. My ****writing**** tends to get worse the ****sleepier**** I am, and seeing how I've had exams all week, sleep has not been something I've had much of recently. Hence why this ****is**** so BAD! I'll seriously regret putting this up in the morning, but I'll worry about that then.**

**I own nothing but the butterfly.**

**This is for squid again, as I think she'll appreciate another dedication. **

A moment of reflection.

Fighting some of Konoha's best jounin, and the copy-nin himself had not been how Kisame had envisioned this mission.

Capture the nine-tailed Jinchurriki. Simple as that huh? Or not!

The shark-nin sighed and stood up from where he'd been sitting slumped against a tree trunk. After retreating from central Konoha he and Itachi had made a small base camp to discuss a strategy before moving in on Naruto. The forest was the best place to do so, since Itachi knew it well enough from his childhood, and they'd quickly gone over a plan to remove Jiraiya from the equation. Then the Uchiha had vanished into the trees somewhere.

Brushing dirt and leaves from his cloak Kisame looked around, his keen senses picking up a faint trail of his elusive partner's chakra. He smiled reflectively as he began to follow it – it was doubtful that anyone else in the world would have noticed such a well hidden signature, and he liked the positive image it gave of their relationship. After four years of working together he was sure no-one could beat him and Itachi for teamwork.

The tell-tale trail led towards the sound of running water, causing a smirk to pass the shark's face. Ah yes, Itachi was a stickler for cleanliness. Not vain, but defiantly proud. Kisame had teased him about it endlessly, earning a great many glares (and in one notorious incident a fireball) but it was something that had caused the Uchiha to open up ever so slightly. It had been a momentous day when he'd shot an annoyed quip back about Kisame _never_ taking a bath. And it had been a moment that reminded them both of one important fact –Itachi was still just a teenager. A murderous one, but a teenager all the same, and Uchiha genes or no there was a little child in there that wanted to have _fun_and stop killing things. It had been the moment that he'd realised this that Kisame had first thrown caution to the wind and tipped his sulky partner into a river.

_That_ had certainly been an interesting moment in their partnership; Itachi had emerged from the water looking like a drowned rat. For a second Kisame had thought he'd just signed his own death warrant, and was all prepared to face the infamous Mangekyou. As it was he nearly had a heart attack instead. Itachi started _laughing_, really laughing.

Missions took a new turn after that and although the Uchiha was still as emotionless as ever around anyone else, he allowed his inner child out a little bit when it was just the two of them. Maybe proof that even the most infamous of criminals tire from bloodshed once in a while.

Still musing, Kisame pushed past the last few branches and stopped in front of the small stream that now crossed his path. Itachi's cloak lay neatly folded at the water's edge, but the Uchiha wasn't bathing as the shark-nin had supposed.

Again it was only by the minute chakra flare that Kisame could spot his younger partner crouching down near a large bush – almost obscured by the branches. The Uchiha was only wearing his thin shirt and trousers, so was shivering in the brisk breeze, but appeared to not have noticed as he fixed all his concentration on something out of Kisame's eyeline.

The shark sighed mentally and quietly approached his partner.

"Itachi-san, what are you doing?" He hadn't thought his voice had been loud, but Itachi spun round to glare at him with a quick 'shh!' Before beckoning him closer. Grumbling quietly Kisame hunkered down beside the Sharingan-user and tried to see what had the young man so interested.

"There, on the branch." Itachi's slim finger pointed to what Kisame had first assumed to be a dead leaf, but looking closer he saw movement. On a more observant inspection he realised with great surprise what the thing was.

"A butterfly, Itachi?" Another glare made him lower his voice. "What's so intriguing about a butterfly?"

"I saw it hatch." The Uchiha said quietly, his eyes – for once free of the Sharingan – watching the little creature's struggles. "But there's something wrong with is wings, they won't stay stiff and unfolded." Large coal eyes looked up at Kisame in bemusement. "What's happened to it?"

Kisame was almost amused at the child-like concern his usually ruthless partner was showing for such a weak little insect, but he hid his smile well.

"It's hatched early, the wings are too damp." He stated, as Itachi's gaze turned back to his previous fixation. "It's just a butterfly Itachi, let's go."

"Will it be okay?"

Such an innocent question coming from one of the world's most ruthless killers made Kisame pause.

"No, it won't be able to fly so it'll die soon. Why do you care?"

Itachi reached out a small hand and with gentleness one wouldn't have thought possible for him scooped the tiny insect up. "Because someone should, even if that someone is me." He muttered, looking down at the helpless thing he now held. Kisame was silent at the, watching his young partner think the situation over. After a moment Itachi let his free hand hover over his precious burden, two fingers nearly touching the useless wings. A faint red glow surrounded his finger-tips as he carefully built up a tiny portion of his fire-type chakra.

"What are you doing?" Kisame asked in a hushed voice.

"Setting something right." The heat from the chakra seemed to be having the desired effect as slowly the butterfly's wings opened properly and the colours blazed. Itachi held the creature up on one finger as it basked in the warmth. Then it flapped its wings once. Twice.

The two Akatsuki members were both smiling as the butterfly took off and soared up into the sunlight. Kisame shook his head with a chuckle and put a hand on his partners shoulder.

"I think I can safely say now I've seen everything." He laughed. "Uchiha Itachi caring about a helpless insect."

Itachi's eyes gleamed maliciously. "Well, I have to care about helpless _sharks_, so why not a butterfly? – and besides, it's prettier than what I normally deal with." As Kisame spluttered at the remark, he Uchiha went and fetched his cloak. "Come on then, the Kyubbi won't catch itself."

As the two infamous assassins left only the butterfly noted their departure, as it danced in the breeze.

**Well, I did warn you that it was crap. If you feel compelled to review, please go ahead, if you feel compelled to flame I will hunt you down and eat you.**

**xox**


End file.
